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Zach Wilson’s introduction to MetLife Stadium to Jets fans didn’t go as planned.
The franchise’s latest quarterback prospect should have a quarterback, if not more, to make a better second impression.
Coach Robert Saleh said after Monday’s practice the plan was for the second overall pick in the draft to play “at least” the first quarter against the Giants in both teams’ first preseason game.
“Just be comfortable on offense,” is what Saleh wants to see from Wilson. “Seeing blankets, seeing different things. He must see everything. And the more he sees, the more reps he gets, the more comfortable he will be.
Wilson followed Saturday’s faltering performance in the Green-White scrum in which he threw two interceptions and led the first-team offense to just one field goal with uneven training on Monday. In team drills, he completed 5 of 13 assists. He was sacked twice, sometimes holding the ball too long, and had a reverse pass on the line of scrimmage. He was mostly indecisive and inaccurate. Wilson bounced back and threw a pair of touchdowns at Corey Davis, finding the newcomer on a fade pattern into the left corner of the end zone and weaving through traffic.
“There’s a reason being a rookie is tough in this league. There was a Hall of Famer [on Sunday] who was inducted [into Canton who had] a 71 quarterback rating as a rookie, ”Saleh said, referring to Peyton Manning. “It’s not easy playing the quarterback in this league as a rookie. But it will get worse before it gets better.
One criticism leveled at the Jets when it comes to Wilson is the lack of a veteran quarterback who can tutor – and challenge him. They recently added Josh Johnson to the quarterback, but the 35-year-old mate last played in an NFL game in 2018 and only has 33 appearances on his resume. In addition, Wilson is trained by a first year offensive coordinator (Mike LaFleur) and a first year quarterback coach (Rob Calabrese).
“He will have Rob, who is fantastic. It will have Mike, who has been there and he got to see the best doing it, ”Saleh said. “And so this part of the experience, I’m not very worried about it, no.”
Saleh expressed confidence that Wilson is improving, that he has a perfect mastery of the caucus, that he knows where everyone is supposed to be, that he is adept at making adjustments and correcting his own mistakes. Yet all of this is new to him. He has only had a handful of practices as a professional.
“There is a process he has to go through,” Saleh said. “It’s not easy, but we have high hopes for him. He will be fine.
This process will continue on Saturday night when Wilson takes on a different team for the first time. The young quarterback and the Jets hope to see progress.
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